Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-04-08
AN EQUESTRIAN STATUE.
GROWING THE MAGNIFICENT TOMB
oFAL6ERTsYDNEY JOHNSTON.

Long OhortsHe0 De8lfo Oh the LOUISIANA
Division of the Army OF the Tennessee IL
Realized-JeR Davis Present.
New ORLEANS, April Yesterday the
long cherished desire Of the Louisiana divis-
ion of the Army Of the Tennessee, to erect a
testimonial Of their esteem and reverence for
their first and greatest commander was real
lied, and the old veterans eyes were graft
fed by the browning Of the magnificent tomb
of the association at Metairie cemetery Of
Alexander Doyle's splendid equestrian
statue of Albert Sydney Johnston.
Nature could not have provided fairer
day for the event The sun shone brilliantly
from cl6udless sky, but his rays were suffi-
GENTLY tempered to cause the crowd of
10000 people who assembled around the
tomb no inconvenient warmth. The associa-
ton of the Army of the Tennessee was
formed soon after the war to keep alive the
memory Of their struggle and to provide for
helpless comrades. During the yellow fever
epidemic OF 1875 50 many veterans died that
it was decided to erect tomb in which all
members should be buried until their friende
should desire to remove their remains. 4
sufficient sum was soon raised and q hand
some vault was constructed. 1t was thet
decided to crown the structure with statu:
of the Hon. jeff Davis and Mrs Dorsey,
who afterwards bequeathed Beauvoirst to the
Confederate chieftain, agreed to bear the
expenses When the purpose of>tle associa-
ton was made known to Mr.. Davis, how.
ever, he refused to sit, aud later at meet
ing of the association advised that an eques.
trian statue Of Gel Johnston be substituted.
This suggestion was Wiley applauded and
tofi
to Mr.. Davis recommendation Alexander
Doyle, the artist agreed to furnish suitable
monument for $l2,OJo This SUN was speed
lily raised by subscription and other means,
and this ceremony was the result.
At noon the military and civic organize
tions began to form at Lafayette square
Conspicuous in the ranks was q large delega-
ton of members of Joseph A. Mowr Post &.
A. R., who had come out to assist the vet
eran Confederates to do honor to the memory
of their old commander. The Federal and
Confederate associations of this city always
fraternize and on this occasion the presence
of the ex-Federals, while not novel. was
greatly appreciated. The procession took up
q line Of march to the trains that W re to
convey them to the cemetery, which was
reached few minutes before ! o'clock. As
the procession entered the enclosure the vast
crowd around the tomb parted, and the,
military took position on the mound. The
ceremonie' were opened by the Rev. A. G.
Witherspoon, an old Confederate chaplain.
The presentation Of the tomb to the associa-
citation by Comrade Fendelhorn, and then
little Rose Robinson, great granddaughter
OF Gen. Johnston, unveiled the statue, while
tie veterans of the Washington artillery
Who served battery of guns at Shiloh, fired
a salute of thirty-eight guns. Comrade w.
II. Rogers, president of the" association, &C
Copied the statue for the association.
AT this point Hon. jefferson Davis was
.alled for and finally was prevailed upon to
speak He declared the figure to be the best
equestrian statue, man and horse, i'll any
count w Not only did it present correct
likeness of the man, but Of the steed, which 4
also is true to life He knew Johnston better
than he ever knew any other man, as boy,
collegiate and soldier. He was as good as
great, and great as humanity could com
mand Continuing, the speaker said: True
to his characteristics he saw efforts of few
states to Deprive the minority of all they
held as their sacred rights, and came through
q rackless desert to offer his sword to the
minority, which were struggling for their
rights"
This was the only political allusion made
The Battle of Shiloh, said the speaker, was
the only one in history fought out just as in
tended. Gen Johnston had sent him a plan
of the attack and he knew it was executed
to the letter. After paying tribute to the
military genius of Johnston, the speaker at
tempted to close, but the crowd yelled "Go
on; you CAN'T detain, we will stay here all
night" Mr.. Davis spoke few minutes
longer, saying in conclusion: Let the new
south turn back to virtue Of the old south,
and see in the monument something upon
fhoi. ac,c uz1,,,ld h,,;ld 1.hnrno-